Apparatus for facilitating the dismantling of secondary batteries



a. F. STEEN. APPMMUS $05? FACELITATING THE DISMANTUNG OF SECONDARY BATTERIES. APPLICATIGN FILED AUG.27, 1919.

Patemad Nova Q, lfii ifio assessors, so unresosrarns iii-T031 nisrnrcr or coierri'tnra, a consoles,

APPARATUS FUEL FACILZTATINQ? lli-illt DISSMAHTLING- F SEGENDJQLRY BATTERIES 1,358,345. Original application filed June is, me,

T 0 all whom it may concern."

Be it known that l ltnooern F. Seems, a citizen of the United iiltates residing at Minneapolis, in the county of: Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Facilitating the Dismantling of Secondaryv Batteries, of which the following is a specification.

My illVeIltlOl'l relates to apparatus for facilitating the dismantling ol'secondary batteries in accordance with my improved method. described and claimed in my co ending application filed June 19, 1919, gerial No. 305,375, and of which-tl1is application is a division.

The apparatus constituting the subject matter of this application will be moreclearly understood fromthe following detail description whereins Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrative of my improved method and showing the apparatus; "for carrying practice operatively associated with a plural cell secondary battery, the latter being shown in section; 1

Fig. 2, a plan view of one form of apparatus suitable for carrying my method into practice; and

" Fig. 3, a section through one of the steam conveying nozzles of the apparatus.

Referring now particularly to the drawv rings 1 have shown an apparatus capable of use in dlsmantllng 12 volt secondary bat teries or secondary batteries of less than 12 volts. Such apparatus comprises a boiler having a filling opening closed by a cap 11. Leading from the interior of the boiler 10 near the top of the latter are three steam conveying nozzles 12 each of which has its outer end forked to form furcations 13 and 14 and on which latter are engaged respectively flexible pipes 15 preferably constructed of pure gum rubber and of suitable length for the purposes intended. Each of the nozzles 12 is provided with a valve 16 for controlling the flow of steam from the boiler which latter is supported above any suitable heating apparatus after being filled with he desired quantityrd water. In this instance l show the boilersupported upon an ordinary stove 1.7.

In the secondary battery illustrated 18 is the casing of the battery, 19 the ars, 20 the the method into specification of Letters Patent. Pwi gntrgfi Haw, 9 192() Serial No. 305,3?5. Divided and this application filed August 27, 1919. Serial 'It'o. 320,153.

positive and negative plates and separators contanied in each ar, 21 the as tops, 22 the vent openings of the tops and :23 the sealing compound which secures the jars and tops in place all as is well known.

Assuming that it is desiredto remove the tops of the jars 19 the closures of the vent openings 22 are first removed and the pipes 15 introduced through said vent openings. The necessary quantity of steam is then raised in the boiler 10 and the valve 16 opened to deliver the steam within the battery through the pipes 15. The delivered steam is confined within the battery by means of burla 2a or other suitable packing placed over t e to of the battery and around the ends of t e pipes 15 where the latter enter the vent holes. lhe introduction of steam into the battery is continued for about ten minutes oruntil such time as the sealing compound 23 is heated sufliciently LG render the same plastic. When this status of the sealing compound is had the burlap 24 is removed and the compound subsequently removed with the aid of a putty knife or other suitable instrument. When the removal or the plastic compound is completed the @jar tops 21 can be easily lifted away. By resorting to the method just described no odor is created and the removal of the jar tops is ellecteclin about one-half the time required when the use of hot ohisels is depended upon to remove the sealing compound. j i ll it 15 then desired to remove the jars '19 it is only necessary to first remove the a boiler, a steam conveying nozzle leading from the boiler and having a plurality of branclres flexible pipes for insertion in the vents of secondary batteries leading from the branches of the nozzle, and a valvein said nozzle for controlling the flow of steam therethrough.

2. An apparatus for facilitating the dismantling of secondary-batteries comprising a,

Water and the connecting devices for the said conductors being in the form of valve 01' cock controlled devices that are mounted on the wall of the said chamber-structure and are positioned in a plane above such water level.

In testimony whereof I afi'ix my sigl'liltlll in the presence of two Witnesses.

' RUDOLPH ESTEIN, Witnesses:

ALBERT P. REED, Lotus Ac. REED. 

